Pressure and vacuum relief valve



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m t 1 A J L GRAY PRESSURE AND VACUUM RELIEF VALVE Filed Jan. 13, 1925 Sept. 11, 1928.

Sept. 11, 1928.

J. L. GRAY PRESSURE AND VACUUM RELIEF VALVE Filed Jan. 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwenfo'z gamut klawlww Patented Sept. 11, 1228. 7

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Application Med January This invention relates to valves has special significance in relation to valves :for apparatus operating under conditions. of varying pressure or high temperatures or a both.

In the operation of stills for the distillation of hydrocarbon oils sudden changes of pressure ma occur audit is for the equalizat on or relic .of such changes that the present invention-is intended. 'Owingto the extreme temperature conditions the p'ressureand vacuum relief valves connected with stills are very diflicult tomaintain in proper working order. Frequent repairs are the rule while l deposits ofcarbon derived from escaping oil inerust the valve surfaces. full closing of. the cooperating parts. and

losses of" the light volati e vapors of oil result'as distillation of the contents of the still 20. proceeds. Such defects are also highly dangerous because of the pomibil ty of re. sequently it is of the greatest importance that such valves-be tightly closed and at the same time be ableto' o crate to relieve pressure or vacuum under t econditions at which it is intended. 1

My invention: aims to overcome suchdlfiiculties by providing a valve which is positive in its operation but which allows the so still to which it is connected to be brought up to operating conditions quickly and be operated thereafterwithout loss of valuable product. This is accomplished by prov ding a special type of-valve and valve seat and by 86 providing means for removing continuously or periodically deposits of 'CaIbOIlIZGd-OII and other foreign matter from the cooperating surfaces.

For a more detailed disclosure of my invention reference may had to the .accompanying drawings, Fig. being a partially sectional view of the relief mechanism while Fig; 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on the line 2''2. In the drawings, 1 is a valve casing or housing for protecting the pressure relief valve 2 and the vacuum relief valve -3,"'as well as for carrying oif any vapors which may be allowed to escape from these valves through-the pipe 1, to be led if desired to a condenser. The pipe 5 serves to directly connect the valve structure with the still and furnishes a support therefor through means of the threaded flange 6. A narrow valve seat 7 is provided for the pressure relief valve,

This .prevents Con- : 'ann vacuum mmr- VALVE.

1a, 1925. Serial m; 2,128.

the latter being of the ball and socket type so that it will readily adapt itself to'the seat to form a tight seal. A pipe 8 is provided for discharging a cleansing fluid, such as steam,.into a chamber 9 which is concentric w th the valve opening and formed integral Wltli the valve casing. Discharge openings 10 are provided at intervals around the valve casing and slant downwardly in a direction to cause the cleansing fluid to strike the coopcrating. surfaces 0 the ressure relief valve 2. and its seat 7, as wel as the seating sur-.

facesof the vacuumrelief valve 3. A recess 11 is provided adjacent to and concentric with the valve seat to facilitate the collection of carbonand' other foreign matter and per mits the oil which may escape and be condensed to be drawn oil through pipe 12, together with the waste steam. The vacu -um relief valve 3 likewise is oftlie ball and socket type'and is supported by the stem -13 which in turn is connected to the pivoted lever'let. The valve 3 is guided from below by the stem 15, which passes through the spider 16. The'valve 2 has upwardly extendingportions 17, through which the stem 13 passesto be guided thereby. The upper end of the stem 13- may be guided by arranging it to pass through an openin in the top wall of the casing 1. Valve 2 is eld in place by, gravity, while pressure may also. beexerted against it by the lever 18, which is pivoted to the valve casing at 19., the stem 13 assing through an opening in the lever 18. T 1e lever 18 is'preferably formed with a boss 18 adapted to engage with the valve 2, or with the guide portion 17 thereof, and in order to obtain best results the contacting surfaces of the boss and valve should be substantially flat. A riderlor shield 18 is positioned on lever 18 at] the slot in the valve casing 1 through which the lever 18 operates and maintains this slot substantially closed at all times so as to prevent the escape of oil vaporsto the atmosphere. A-spring 20 is attached near the outer end of lever '18 and anchored by means of. the screw 21 which maybe secured to any stationary object such as the bracket 22 bolted to the flange 6. Near the outer end of the lever 14 a second spring 23 is attachedby means of the screw24, while the opposing end of the spring 23 is. secured to the lever 18. A trigger 25 is pivoted to the outer endoflever 18'and may be raised tothe not pass throng still. has been brou positionxshown in clotted. lines to cooperate.

nary stage of operation, but if. such sudden pressure develop1 that the-'escaping-ga'ses canthe opnirrg of valve?) rapi cll'yenoughto :preventthe building up of substantial pressure, the valve '2 will "be 'jtorce'cl'uptva-rd against lever 18', Which :Will

cause the trigger 25 to tripbyslippingp'fl-the bevelled s'uriace 26, thus quickly relieving the .pressure'through valve 2.- It willal'so'be 'Oli':

served that spring% substantially aidsth e movement of lever 18 for the spring is n'ncl'ei' tensiohwheh the trigger 25' is bearing a ainst surface 26 and tendsto'retm 'n to norin'a eonditionhpon the release of the trigger This provides a very sudden movement of lever 18.150 permit the opening'of valve 2;

Inthe n'ormal'opera'tion of the still both the -'press1ire and va-'cnum relief valves are closed and aresttozopera te at'definite pressures by regulation-oi the'tehsi'on's on the respecti'vesprings. "Spring 20 is p-rovid'e'clof larger size and'i's 'intendetlto'b'e'much strong- 61- than'spring23, soth'zitiii' opening-thevacuhmrelief valve 3 practically noch'ang'e is nade'inthe'position of spring 20'be'can'se of the tension ohsp'ri'n'g23. I I prefer to introduce steam under pressure into'the chamber 9 for cleansing'the valve surfaces gfrom deposited 'c'ai'bon and other forei n matter but'it hasbeenfound'that this i'soIi y occasionally desirable silice th'e'v'alve fits tightly even after long continued 0, eration of the still. Other compressed aids such as "carbon dioxide "o air might be employed but steam is "p referred -since it does not-support combustion rmi-- undul @001 the valve structure which may 'b'e'at comparative- I highlemperature during the operation of ts sti-ll. I I

By'the applicationof my uiventicnto stills for the-distillation of "petroleu'mend'the like nn eificieutcontrol of'the distillin g'o eration is obtained 'vvithdut -the'fire hazards attendant upon'the useof valves heretofore designed; while repairs are found to beonly nominal "over long periods of 'oper'ation. W hile'myinvention has'be'en described in p articularreference'to petroleuin' stills 'an'd'is especially well suitedtherefor, it is 'obvlo'us that it may be'appli'ed to other vesselssubj eat "to "changes in pressure, such as storage tanks=, tank steamers,'Ietc. The specific arrangementschosen to illustrate my invention .ar'e notfito be construed as limitin'g" the same v1. A c i nbine d r eSSure and vacuum re lief mechanismcom rising a pressure relief valvefa vacunmelelief valve positioned in the face of said first valve and oppositely disposed with respect thereto, means for maintaining-said"second valve in pen "position for-gradual"releaseof pressure while maintaining "said first valve .in. .closedposition, and means for automatically releasing said-first valve upon development of sudden pressure. I l A combined pressure and vacuum relief mechanism for stillscouiprisin a-pressure relief valve, a va'cuuinirelief va ire-positi'oned in the tfacejof said first valve. and 'oppoe sitelydisposed with respect thereto, a piviotfed lever adapted to exert pressure on said first valve, a spring attached to" said lever for normally maintaining Said Valve incl'qSe-d position, a pivoted lever connected to, said vacuum relief valve, a spring" attacliedat one end'to said second lever-for maintaining said vacuum relief valvein closed position and at theother end to said first lever for ananchor in substantially opposed relation to saidfirst spring, a trigger at that 'endof said ilirst lever to which. the two springs are attached adapted to oppose the cor-responding end of said second lever'infinaintaining said vacuum relief valve in an open position and adapted to be tripped upon sudden increase sure within. the still.

3. 'A ombined" pressure and vacdum relief in pres-- mechanism forstills comprising a 'pres'siim rlief valve, avacuuin relief valve :positi'oned ih the -faoeof i said first valve and oppositely disposed with respect thereto, means adapted to cooperate with said firstivalve to maintain connected to said vacuum relief valve,' a

springattached at one end to .saidlever for to which the spring islatt'ached, for rnaintainmg sald vacuum rehef valve 111 an open'pos tion in opposition to said "spring, said means being adapted to 'be released upon a sudden increase in ipress'ure Within the still.

4. A coii'ihinedlpressure and vacuuin relief the same'in'closed position,- al'pivoted' lever mechanism for stills, comprising-a pressure relief valve, a vacuum relief valve positioned inthe face of said first valve'ancl oppositely disposed with respect thereto, a-pivoted lever adapted to exert'pr'essure'on said first valve,

a spring attached to said lever for normally mamtaining said valve in closed position, a pivoted lever connected to said vacuum relief valve, a spring attached at one end to said second lever for maintaining said vacuum relief valve in closed position and at the other end to said first lever for an anchor in substantially opposed relation to said first spring, said second spring having a strength insuflicient to enable it to overcome the tension of said first spring wherebv said vacuum relief valve may open in response to a sub-atmospheric pressure within the still without a corresponding movement of said first spring.

5. A combined pressure and vacuum relief mechanism for stills comprising a pressure relief valve, a vacuum relief valve positioned in the face of said first valve and oppositely disposed with respect thereto, means adapted to cooperate with said first valve to maintain the same in a closed position, a pivoted lever connected to said vacuum relief valve, :1 spring attached at one end to said lever for maintaining said valve in closed position and at the other end to said means for an anchor in substantially opposed relation to the direction of pull exerted by said means, said spring having a strength insuflicient to enable it to overcome the pull of said means, Whereby said vacuum relief valve may open in re sponse to a sub-atmospheric pressure within the still without a corresponding movement of saidmeans.

In witness'whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of January, 1925 JAMES L. GRAY. 

